What will the Martial Arts be 50 years from now?

drop bear

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In 50 years its going to be essentially what you're seeing currently in submission grappling and MMA; A hybridized system with no stylistic boundaries, yet highly contained within its given ruleset in order to allow competition and a high level of evolution and experimentation. That will be the predominant form of martial arts moving forward. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if we're at the point in 20 years.

I truly believe that the days of traditional MA are numbered. There's simply too much information out there, and there's really no way to hide a style's inherent deficiencies. Yeah, you can teach someone karate, but what does it matter learning forms and traditional fluff when the karate kid can just get decked by a boxer or a street fighter or dumped on their head by a wrestler? The good news for Karate and TKD is that their sport/competitive side will keep them going a bit longer.

For the traditional styles that don't offer competition to kids, they're in even worse shape, and will go extinct much sooner.

The traditional styles are developing their own combative sports systems though.

And I think most people will take dips in to those specialist systems as they may present opportunities that do not exist in mainstream fight sports.

So we seem to have a lot of modified thai going around at the moment. And so people are developing their thai base. But that could just as easily been a combat karate or a sanda or a kudo.

Even wing chun is setting up its own competitions.

And this is all geared towards the amateur rather than the career fighter.

I keep mentioning Fitzroy martial arts that is a karate school. But does dip in MMA and does really well.


And this is due to competitive MMA fighting only schools are not often viable. You get only a few guys doing that. But it gives the depth of knowledge to the whole school that raises it above the average.
 
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bill miller

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I feel that all martial arts, even the traditional systems, will still be around in 50 years, but possibly more geared toward the needs of the future generations of students. I believe that what we practice is called martial "arts" for a reason, otherwise, it might be known as martial copying. All styles have evolved over the years, in minor, almost minute ways. We are not all built alike, we don't think alike, and no matter how hard we may try, we can't be duplicates of our instructors. The basics and principles of any traditional system needs to remain intact, along with core of what,and why the art was brought in to being, and I believe there will be those who appreciate the value of said art,keeping it alive,and passing it down to the next generation. As for the more sport oriented systems, some may survive, and others will fade away, as the new next big thing pops up. They, too, will evolve, either for bad, or good, and as most of these have their foundation built on the more traditional systems, there may be some who will drift back to their roots. At least, I, for one, hope so.
 

Holmejr

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Most MA’s will get canceled because they’re not “nice” and only TKD will be allowed, but only for children to the age of 10. Mostly for the participatory trophies that boost their self esteem, but not really their confidence….wow! Kinda glad I won’t be here for it…
 

bill miller

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Most MA’s will get canceled because they’re not “nice” and only TKD will be allowed, but only for children to the age of 10. Mostly for the participatory trophies that boost their self esteem, but not really their confidence….wow! Kinda glad I won’t be here for it…
I have to humbly disagree, but understand your point. I feel like there will be people around who more than "Wham Bam Thank you ma'am when seeking training, no matter what the style. There will always be students who want to go a bit deeper in to the essence of the system. As it has been in the past, the old heads teach the student becomes a teacher, who passes on the passion and love for the system to another, and so on. It is our choice to lead the way, and to keep martial arts alive.
 

Holmejr

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I have to humbly disagree, but understand your point. I feel like there will be people around who more than "Wham Bam Thank you ma'am when seeking training, no matter what the style. There will always be students who want to go a bit deeper in to the essence of the system. As it has been in the past, the old heads teach the student becomes a teacher, who passes on the passion and love for the system to another, and so on. It is our choice to lead the way, and to keep martial arts alive.
It was meant jokingly. Really, I predict the FMA arts will dominate, because lightsabers will be real.
 

drop bear

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It was meant jokingly. Really, I predict the FMA arts will dominate, because lightsabers will be real.

They already have ludosports.

And a real light safer would be so insanely dangerous for the user.

I mean they don't even have a safety. Just a button. The bloody thing would keep going off in your bag.
 

Dirty Dog

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They already have ludosports.

And a real light safer would be so insanely dangerous for the user.

I mean they don't even have a safety. Just a button. The bloody thing would keep going off in your bag.
Automatic knives are opened by pushing a button. They don't go off in your pocket. Neither do guns, unless you're really stupid. Just put the light saber in a holster that covers the button till it's drawn.
 

Wing Woo Gar

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Automatic knives are opened by pushing a button. They don't go off in your pocket. Neither do guns, unless you're really stupid. Just put the light saber in a holster that covers the button till it's drawn.
I don’t want to tell stories about stupid people shooting themselves here, but I sure could.
 

Wing Woo Gar

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Stupid people shooting themselves does not equal going off by themselves.
Ok. Stupid people putting a cocked ruger 480 in their sweat pants pocket where it somehow goes off. Twice. Yes. Same gun, same guy, twice. Maybe light trigger, maybe just dumb luck, maybe just dumb. He said it went off by itself, but also said it was cocked “just in case”.
 

Dirty Dog

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Ok. Stupid people putting a cocked ruger 480 in their sweat pants pocket where it somehow goes off. Twice. Yes. Same gun, same guy, twice. Maybe light trigger, maybe just dumb luck, maybe just dumb. He said it went off by itself, but also said it was cocked “just in case”.
Right. Because people would rather blame the gun than admit they managed to put their booger stick on the bang bang button. Or that it was stupid to put an unholstered, cocked handgun in their pocket. It didn't "just go off".
 
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dvcochran

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Ok. Stupid people putting a cocked ruger 480 in their sweat pants pocket where it somehow goes off. Twice. Yes. Same gun, same guy, twice. Maybe light trigger, maybe just dumb luck, maybe just dumb. He said it went off by itself, but also said it was cocked “just in case”.
A friend of mine and LEO was jogging early in his career. Had a thumb web safety pistol in the pocket of his sweats. It fell out and went off shooting him in the leg. Very, very lucky.
 

Dirty Dog

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A friend of mine and LEO was jogging early in his career. Had a thumb web safety pistol in the pocket of his sweats. It fell out and went off shooting him in the leg. Very, very lucky.
How long ago was this? And it's worth pointing out that an improperly carried weapon is not the same as "just going off".
 

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